A viral histone h4 joins to eukaryotic nucleosomes and alters host gene expression.

ABSTRACT: A viral histone H4 (CpBV-H4) is encoded in a polydnavirus, Cotesia plutellae bracovirus. Its predicted amino acid sequence is highly homologous to that of host insect histone H4 except for an extended N-terminal tail containing 38 amino acids with nine lysine residues. Its expression induces an immunosuppression of target insects by suppressing immune-associated genes, presumably through an epigenetic control. This study analyzed its molecular interaction with eukaryotic host nucleosomes and subsequent regulation of host gene expression. Purified recombinant CpBV-H4 could associate with nucleosomal components (H2A, H2B, H3, and H4) and form an octamer. Transient expression of CpBV-H4 in an insect, Tribolium castaneum, was performed by microinjection of a recombinant expression vector and c

SUBMITTER: Hepat R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3807275 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature